Engine for packet routing

Abstract

A switch, device, and method of routing packets are provided. In one example, a switch includes one or more circuits to generate an inflated transmission queue (TQ) vector based on a subset of elements, use the inflated TQ vector to select an element from the subset of elements, and route a packet via an egress port based on the element selected from the subset of elements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A switch, comprising one or more circuits to:
 generate an inflated transmission queue (TQ) vector based on a subset of elements;   use the inflated TQ vector to select an element from the subset of elements; and   route a packet via an egress port based on the element selected from the subset of elements.   
     
     
         2 . The switch of  claim 1 , wherein the subset of elements comprises a base TQ vector. 
     
     
         3 . The switch of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more circuits are further to select the subset of elements from a plurality of subsets of elements prior to generating the inflated TQ vector. 
     
     
         4 . The switch of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of subsets of elements includes a time-bound subset of elements and a non-time-bound subset of elements. 
     
     
         5 . The switch of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more circuits select the subset of elements from the plurality of subsets of elements based on input from a subset selector. 
     
     
         6 . The switch of  claim 1 , wherein the inflated TQ vector is generated in response to receiving the packet via an ingress port. 
     
     
         7 . The switch of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more circuits are further to apply weighting logic to the subset of elements. 
     
     
         8 . The switch of  claim 1 , wherein generating the inflated TQ vector comprises performing a thermometer coding on the subset of elements. 
     
     
         9 . The switch of  claim 1 , wherein using the inflated TQ vector to select an element from the subset of elements comprises using one or more of a round robin algorithm, a random algorithm, and a hash-based forwarding algorithm. 
     
     
         10 . The switch of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more circuits are further to receive a selection of one of the round robin algorithm, random algorithm, and the hash-based forwarding algorithm. 
     
     
         11 . The switch of  claim 10 , wherein the selection of the one of the round robin algorithm, random algorithm, and the hash-based forwarding algorithm is of one of the random algorithm and the hash-based forwarding algorithm, and wherein the one or more circuits are further to generate a sum of data in the inflated TQ vector and wherein the element is selected from the subset of elements based at least in part on the sum and one of a hash and a random number. 
     
     
         12 . The switch of  claim 11 , wherein the hash is generated based on the subset of elements. 
     
     
         13 . The switch of  claim 10 , wherein the selection of the one of the round robin algorithm, random algorithm, and the hash-based forwarding algorithm is of round robin and wherein the one or more circuits are further to select the element from the subset of elements based on a most recently selected element. 
     
     
         14 . A device, comprising one or more circuits to:
 receive a packet associated with a destination;   generate an inflated transmission queue (TQ) vector based on a subset of elements;   use the inflated TQ vector to select an element from the subset of elements; and   route the packet via an egress port based on the element selected from the subset of elements.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the subset of elements comprises a base TQ vector. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more circuits are further to select the subset of elements from a plurality of subsets of elements prior to generating the inflated TQ vector. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of subsets of elements includes a time-bound subset of elements and a non-time-bound subset of elements. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more circuits select the subset of elements from the plurality of subsets of elements based on input from a subset selector. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the inflated TQ vector is generated in response to receiving the packet via an ingress port. 
     
     
         20 . A method, comprising:
 generating an inflated transmission queue (TQ) vector based on a subset of elements;   using the inflated TQ vector to select an element from the subset of elements; and   routing a packet via an egress port based on the element selected from the subset of elements.